Hai Van Pass on a Private Motorcycle Tour

by Mariliis Moelder (Australia)

I didn't expect to find Vietnam

This is a story when I, on a whim, exchanged the Australian motherhood bubble for a few weeks of exploring Vietnam. More precisely, my trip from Hoi An to Hue via the Hai Van Pass. I needed to see the view that made the grown men from Top Gun shed tears of appreciation. At the time, I was staying in the picturesque village of Hoi An, famous for its colorful lanterns. My guest house was strategically positioned in a quiet area called the Vegetable Village, right in the middle of the beach and the old town. Getting around was easy, just a few kilometers bicycle ride either way. As an independent woman, I consulted with Google Maps and found out that the Hai Van Pass drive was about three hours. Piece of cake on a little scooter, right? Well wrong! The scooter that was organized for me did not have any breaks, so I crashed straight into a field of lettuce on my test drive and felt quite discouraged after. However, I was still determined to have this experience on a two-wheeled “horse.” My hosts organized me a motorcycle tour with apparently the best guide in town. No surprise, my trust levels after the lettuce assassination incident were almost non-existent. But, the guide was amazing. I was very excited about this short little adventure. I did not clarify how long the journey would be… To my surprise, almost as soon as we got out of town and onto the highway, he pulled over and drove on a tiny footpath into the grass! Was this the end of my precious life? But no, of course not. Instead, my guide took me to check out some hidden mushroom growing huts in the forest guarded by beautiful grey cows. The mushrooms grew out of balls on strings hanging from the ceiling. Mind you, the off-roading road was so off the road it sometimes completely disappeared into grass and forest… Sometimes we crossed wonky bridges I would not have dared to walk over out of fear of falling through them. The next stops were tiny village temples, pompous family burial grounds, and local coffee breaks. For anyone who doesn’t know, Vietnamese coffee is drip strained straight into your glass into a generous amount of condensed milk. Pure indulgence. The cemeteries were a sight in themselves. Huge temples with dragons and fountains and mirrors and pillars all covered in colorful hand glued mosaics competing in their grandiosity. The infamous Hai Van Pass did not disappoint with the views. And due to our vehicle, we were able to drive up high on top of a viewing point on a hill, whereas all the bus and scooter tourists had to climb up there themselves. Many didn’t make it… It was magnificent to rest on top of this hill and see the fog roll in below us. Or clouds? I don’t know but it felt divine. At this point, we had been driving for five hours already, and I was sure this was it. But wait! There is more! The best part of the journey was yet to come. Lunch at a local seafood restaurant on the water overlooking the gulf and driving through the oyster farms. Oooo my… the oyster farms were an experience of so much beauty, it fed my soul for days. Just imagine driving on a dirt road maybe half a meter wide surrounded by water and man-made pools framed by the same tiny dirt road. Now imagine the perfect sunny weather with soft white fluffy clouds reflecting from the surrounding still water. Now imagine all the oranges and yellows and pinks and purples starting to set in with the nearing sunset. It was like driving inside a picture with a slight danger factor. What if the driver is not aware for just one second? We would have made a solid splash… In conclusion, the trip took ten hours instead of three, but it was worth it. My body was shaking from tiredness, but my mind was peaceful and soul satisfied. I did not expect to be gifted with so much unique beauty. Thank you, Vietnam.